The present invention relates to a lighting device or lighting system for a vehicle and, more particularly, to a lighting device having at least one central light source and a plurality of light outlet units.
A lighting device for a vehicle is known, comprising at least one central reflector, which is formed as a substantially hollow body, a light source whose light emitting body extends inside the reflector, and a plurality of light guides which conduct light from the periphery of the reflector for transmission to vehicle light outlet units.
This kind of lighting device is known from European Patent Application EP-A2-0 367 032. This lighting device has a central reflector, which is formed as a substantially hollow body. This lighting device also has a light source whose light emitting body is located inside the reflector. The reflector is formed by a jacket of the light source, which is provided with a reflective coating. The light source is formed as a gas discharge lamp, whose electrodes project into the reflector. The light emitting body extends between the electrodes in the form of an electric arc. Several light guide connectors are connected to the periphery of the reflector. The reflector transmits light in the vicinity of the light guide connectors. The light guide connectors are distributed uniformly around the periphery of the reflector on a section through the reflector. The light guide connectors can only receive light transmitted directly from the light emitting body of the light source to them and, in the case of a spherical reflector, the light guide connectors can also receive light transmitted from portions of the reflector opposite from the light emitting body and reflected light to the light guide connectors. A desirable reflection of light to the light guide connectors is not possible with this structure of the reflector, since a substantial portion of the light reflected by the reflector cannot enter into the light guide connectors. Light guides are connected to the light guide connectors, which lead to vehicle light outlet units. The vehicle light outlet units have lenses for collecting and collimating the light conducted to them by the light guides. It is however difficult to collect the entire light issuing from the light guides in a certain angular range with the lenses.
The light guide connectors on the reflector have a circular cross section. The image of the light emitting body reflected by the reflector has however, as the light emitting body, an elongated form, so that the lighting device has an intrinsically poor efficiency.